Canna plant named ‘RobToyRed’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Canna  plant named ‘RobToyRed’, characterized by its upright and compact plant habit; vigorous plant growth habit; non-persistent flowers; dark green-colored foliage; and flowers that are bright red in color.

Botanical designation: Canna generalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RobToyRed’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cannaplant, botanically known as Canna generalis, and hereinafter referred toby the cultivar name RobToyRed.

The new Canna is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Grain Valley, Mo. The objective of the breeding programis to create compact, fast-growing and freely-flowering Cannas withattractive flower coloration.

The new Canna originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin August, 1997 of the Canna cultivar Roblibsca, disclosed in U.S. PlantPat. No. 9,896, as the female, or seed, parent with the Canna cultivarAmbrosia, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Cannawas selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny of theabove-stated cross-pollination by the Inventor in June, 1998 in acontrolled environment in Grain Valley, Mo., on the basis of its compactgrowth habit and attractive flower coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by rhizome divisions in acontrolled environment in Grain Valley, Mo., since September, 1998, hasshown that the unique features of this new Canna are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar RobToyRed have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and culture such as temperature and lightintensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘RobToyRed’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘RobToyRed’ as a new and distinct Cannacultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and compact plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous plant growth habit.    -   3. Non-persistent flowers.    -   4. Dark green-colored foliage.    -   5. Flowers that are bright red in color.

Plants of the new Canna can be compared to plants of the female parent,the cultivar Roblibsca. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in GrainValley, Mo., plants of the new Canna differed from plants of thecultivar Roblibsca in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Canna were more compact than plants of the        cultivar Roblibsca.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Canna were dark green in color        whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Roblibsca were burgundy        in color.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Canna had broader petals than        flowers of plants of the cultivar Roblibsca.

Plants of the new Canna can be compared to plants of the male parent,the cultivar Ambrosia. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in GrainValley, Mo., plants of the new Canna differed from plants of thecultivar Ambrosia in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Canna were more compact than plants of the        cultivar Ambrosia.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Canna had bright red-colored        petals whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar Ambrosia had        pastel salmon-colored petals.

Plants of the new Canna can also be compared to plants of the cultivarPresident, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in GrainValley, Mo., plants of the new Canna differed from plants of thecultivar President in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Canna were much more compact than plants of        the cultivar President.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Canna were lighter green in color        than leaves of plants of the cultivar President.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Canna had deeper red-colored        petals than flowers of plants of the cultivar President.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Canna were less persistent than        flowers of plants of the cultivar President.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Canna.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical flowering plants of ‘RobToyRed’ grown in the landscape for aboutthree years.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalflowers and a leaf of ‘RobToyRed’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for thedescription were grown in gallon containers after rooting and grown forabout six months during the spring in a polyethylene-covered greenhousein Grain Valley, Mo. During the production of the plants in thegreenhouse, day temperature were about 24° C. and night temperatureswere about 18° C. During the production of the plants, day temperatureswere about 24° C. and night temperatures were about 18° C. Plants wereflowered in Tolar, Tex. in an outdoor nursery during the summer abouttwo months later.

-   Botanical classification: Canna generalis cultivar RobToyRed.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Canna generalis cultivar Roblibsca,            disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 9,896 .        -   Male, or pollen parent.—Canna generalis cultivar Ambrosia,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By rhizomes.        -   Rhizome description.—Tuberous; fleshy; covered with papery            scales.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Upright and compact plant habit. Vigorous growth            habit.        -   Plant height.—About 42 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 24 cm.        -   Stem description.—Length: About 41 cm. Diameter: About            1.6 cm. Internode length: About 3.6 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth; glabrous. Color: 144A        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite; simple. Length:            About 28 cm. Width: About 18 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute,            mucronate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Luster: Upper surface:            Dull. Lower surface: Semi-glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate.            Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            More green than 147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,            lower surface: Close to 147A. Venation, upper surface: More            green than 147B. Venation, lower surface: Lateral veins,            close to 147A; midvein, close to 146C. Sheathing petioles:            Length: About 9.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.75 cm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color, upper            surface: Close to 146D. Color, lower surface: Close to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single flowers arranged on terminal            racemes; several racemes per plant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Throughout the summer in Missouri.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowers.—Form: Salverform. Diameter: About 8 cm. Height:            About 6.8 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.75 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.            Shape: Elongate, linear. Color: Close to 182A.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: About four in a single whorl, fused at            the base. Length: About 7.4 cm. Width: About 4.3 cm. Shape:            Spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, velvety. Color:            When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 45A. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 45A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: About four in a single whorl. Length:            About 4.3 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Apex: Acute. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Waxy, smooth. Color, upper            surface: 45A overlain with close to 9A. Color, lower            surface: Close to 45A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Angle:            About 40° from vertical. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth;            glabrous. Color: Close to 187A.        -   Bracts.—Arrangement: Each inflorescence subtended by a            bract. Length: About 5.7 cm. Width: About 3.2 cm. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Waxy, smooth. Color, upper            surface: Close to 194A. Color, lower surface: Close to 183A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamenoids: Quantity: About two,            petal-like. Length: About 4.6 cm to 5.5 cm. Width: About 5            mm to 12 mm. Anther shape: Oblong, fused to stamenoids.            Anther length: About 1.4 cm. Anther color: 9A. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 5D.        -   Pistils.—Quantity: One per flower. Pistil length: About            4.5 cm. Stigma shape: Tapering. Stigma color: Close to 5D.            Style color: Close to 45A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit development has not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Canna have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Canna .-   Weather tolerance: Plants of the new Canna have been observed to be    very tolerant to rain and wind.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Canna have been observed to    be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 4 to 38° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Canna plant named ‘RobToyRed’, asillustrated and described.